Homework for 3/13 and 3/14

Apologies for not posting this yesterday.  I left quickly and then it just flew out of my mind.  Here are your reminders to prepare for Friday/Monday.

AP English IV

You all did an amazing job on your teaching aspects for your presentations.  All groups have their performances of the translated scenes on Friday.  We'll go in order of the act, so that you all see how the ideas and the characters and the plot develop through the act.  Remember the requirements for the presentations:  props, costumes, and scripts!  I need a copy of your script turned in to me at the beginning of the period.

Also, I'll be collecting your paper proposals on Friday and reading these over the weekend.  What I'm looking for in these is an (as clear as you can articulate it now) argument you will be exploring and proving in this paper and what your source material will be from Twelfth Night or from other sources (a film or other text for comparison purposes).  Lastly, don't forget about a quick annotation check for Acts I-III.

AP English III

You've completed your first SYNTHESIS prompt - congratulations!  You'll be getting these back on Friday/Monday as well as your term papers.  We'll spend some time reflecting and assessing skills related to writing on Friday.  In addition on Friday we will be getting a visit from Guidance related to the college search process for next year.  Come with questions -- it's never to early to start this process.

Make sure that you're ready for a thorough discussion of chapters three and four for Friday/Monday - we'll start by looking at those quotation posters, and I'll be pointing out some additional elements from these chapters to help your understanding.

Don't forget that you have to have chapters five and six read for Tuesday/Wednesday.  Keep track of your vocabulary and motif charts -- remember that these assignments should be done WHILE you are reading.  Not after.

English IV

Tonight you have a one page response related to the different conflicts encountered so far in Twelfth Night.  Here are your questions for this assignment: 

1. Which conflict in Twelfth Night is the most important conflict in the play? Why? 
2. How has this conflict been developed? 
3. How do you think this will be resolved? Why?

You can approach this assignment by writing a third of a page on each of the questions above.  Remember that once you identify the most important conflict that you need to stay focused on that for the remainder of the assignment -- no switching mid way through.  


That font shift is really bothering me and I can't figure out how to change it.  Oh well, see you Friday! 

Work for the weekend and Monday night

Students,

I will not be here on Monday due to the fact that I'll be at a workshop at UNC Chapel Hill all day.  I'm looking forward to spending the day at my alma mater reconnecting with a few former professors of mine.  B-day students will complete their tasks for the day with a substitute.  Here are your notes on what you need to complete at home.

AP English III:

You have several big reading portions to take care of.  By Tuessday/Wednesday you'll need to be to the end of chapters seven through nine.  By Thursday/Monday (27th) you need to be to the end of chapter ten.  Chapter ten is a bit on the confusing side, but given the fact that you've been reading this book for some time I think that all of you will be able to handle it.

Please complete your quote analysis sheets at home if you didn't have a chance to thoroughly read an annotate all of the passages.  We'll use this as an anchor for our discussion of chapters seven through nine on Tuesday/Wednesday.  Also, don't forget that you have an outline for your research paper due soon.  You should be researching now in preparation for this deadline.  Remember - procrastination kills.  Be ahead.

English I:

I hope that you are enjoying these films.  As we continue to read, we'll continue to watch.  For this weekend, spend some time getting ahead on your projects.  Remember that we have a deadline coming soon.  Next week would be a great time to see me with a draft and ask for help.

Enjoy your weekend!  Oh, and Juniors, you have progress reports coming out on Tuesday/Wednesday.

Homework for Wednesday/Thursday - 2/15 and 2/16

Alrighty kiddos, here's what you need to do.

AP English III:

Your next reading goal in Invisible Man is to read chapters seven through nine.  This is where the Invisible Man moves off to New York and begins the next phase of this novel.  I would like for all of you to attempt to have this done by Friday/Monday.  However, we won't be discussing these chapters until the 21st and 22nd.  So, know that you have a bit of leeway in your reading.  Since you do have that leeway, you should be continuing to do your research and move forward with your papers.  Remember that we will have another checkin on these papers due very soon.  In about two weeks you'll need to submit your outlines - remember that in order to outline you need to already have your sources.  Remember not to slack.  Slacking leads to bad things.

Finally, you're going to have your first assessment on Invisible Man on the Prologue to Chapter Six.  Prepare.  Be ready.  Ask for help if you need it.

English I:

Tonight you're taking a break from Romeo and Juliet and spending time with your projects.  Remember the goal to have the reading done by the end of next week.  Our first deadline is March 1st and 2nd.  Don't miss this deadline, remember that it's a quiz grade.  You should start coming to see me soon to get extra help or for me to edit your projects. 

Homework for the Weekend - 2/9 and 2/10

Cheers to the weekend!  As I paraphrase Rihanna, please look below for your reminders for this weekend.

AP English III:

Your next big reading goal will be the 15th and 16th.  You've got to move through chapters five and six.  Chapter six ends the college section and will be where we'll have our first major assessment on Invisible Man and other pieces that we've read up to this point.  Chapter five will probably be pretty difficult for most of you.  This is where the Rev. Homer Barbee gives his sermon and the Invisible Man listens, letting his mind wander.  Remember the idea of stream of consciousness.  Look closely at this section, read carefully.  Chapter six is a punch in the gut, and it's pretty short too.

Since you have a bit of extra time, I would like for you all to begin researching and coming up with some sources.  You'll really begin researching in earnest next week after you've gotten your topics back, but doing a bit of leg work this weekend will be useful.  Remember that you need a mixture of primary and secondary sources; print and non-print sources.  We'll talk about what all of this means on Monday/Tuesday.  I'm also hoping that on Monday/Tuesday we'll also have a chance to look at a few more passages from Invisible Man that I think are pretty noteworthy.

English I:

This weekend you're going to continue moving forward on your projects.  We'll be doing a lot of Act II of Romeo and Juliet in class simply because it's probably one of my favorite acts.  This weekend I want you to continue reading your plays, but I need you to turn in some evidence of your reading. 

Honors and Standard students:  You will construct a venn diagram comparing and contrasting the play that you're reading with Romeo and Juliet.  Be sure that you identify the title of your play.  I'm going to be looking for ten points of contrast (differences), and five points of comparison (similarities). 

Honors students:  You will then take that venn diagram and write me two paragraphs comparing and contrasting your play and Romeo and Juliet.  As you write, you may want to focus on just one or two similarities and differences, explain them thoroughly, and show why these similarities and differences are important.  Remember to follow good writing rules, use clear details from your plays, and fully explain your ideas.

This assignment is due to the box Monday (A-day) or Tuesday (B-day).  Also, Standard students can do the writing assignment to earn some extra credit on a previous homework assignment.

To all:

On Monday/Tuesday you'll be getting a good amout of work returned to you.  Just giving you a head's up.

I don't know any songs about Tuesday

So instead of talking about that, I'll just let you know of your homework.

AP English III:


You've got two more chapters to read, three and four of Invisible Man.  These two chapters are linked to chapter two in a strong way.  We have only begun to scratch the surface of chapter two!  We will go a lot deeper with chapters two, three, and four during class on Thursday/Friday.  Please make sure that you have read and thoroughly annotated these chapters.  Chapter four is relatively short, and provides a good place to pause before the next slog to the end of the college section.

Your first major assessment with Invisible Man will happen after we've discussed chapter six.  Make sure that you're preparing by being a good reader.

On to research - If you did not submit your research plan today before our timed writing then it is due at the beginning of class on Thursday/Friday.  Don't slack on this.  You may find that you need to do a bit of research before you can actually can write your question.  Use your sheet and answer all parts, thoroughly.

English I:


Today we had our first assessment on Romeo and Juliet, covering Act I.  Things will continue to develop and get intense as we move into Act II.  This is where Shakespeare really turns up the intensity and the complications and foreshadowing abound.  Tonight, take a break from Romeo and Juliet, but spend your time on your play for your project.

You should spend an hour or two reading over the next few days.  I gave you the goal in class today of having your play read by the 24th.  This is a realistic and good goal for all of you.  Remember your first due date with this project is March 1st and 2nd.  Honors students will have their scene translations due at this checkin.  Standard students will have the adaptation assignment due.  Be sure that you have read and understand the instructions.  Misinterpreting the instructions will lead to a poor score.  As always I'm happy to look at drafts and provide feedback for this project.

Have a good evening!

The End of the Nine Weeks

And thus ends another quarter and the first semester.  Just a few reminders for the weekend.

AP English III:


We're about to begin what I would consider to be our capstone piece for the year, Invisible Man.  I'm very excited about teaching this book and reading it with a large group of students.  I just read it for the first time last year, so I hope that you'll help me connect some dots in a few places.

I strongly urge that you do all purchase a copy of this book as we will be spending a lot of time with it - an entire nine weeks.  My edition is the one with this cover:

(Thanks, Amazon.com and Vintage International)

Of course our editions don't have to match.  We seem to do quite well with helping each other out in finding pages in different editions.  We'll begin reading on our schedule not next week, but the week after - the 30th/31st.  

I would encourage all of you to start reading in advance, this is a difficult book to start until you find your rhythm with the narrator.  If any of you would like to check out a copy until you get your own to read in advance, I've already picked some up from the bookroom.

Other than that, relax.  Take a load off.  But do get a copy of the book ASAP!

English I:

We'll be starting in earnest on our study of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I'm very excited to start this with you.  I've already introduced our first major component which is the Drama/Shakespeare project.  Try to decide on a play over the weekend, I'll be collecting titles soon from you - most likely Tuesday and Wednesday.  Please remember that any play not listed on your handout will need to be approved by me in advance.  You must bring me a copy of the whole play for my approval.  

If you haven't had a chance to look over the introductory information on Billy Shakes and England of his time, then I'd navigate to the online textbook (or the paper book) to pages 776 and read as well as take notes until page 783.  There's a lot of good information here which we'll go over to begin the unit on Tuesday/Wednesday.

BTW, Freshmen, Young Jeezy's coming to visit class next week.  I think.

English I - Last Weekend

Students,

This is your final weekend before the Shakespeare/Drama projects are due! If you've been absent the last few classes, it's important to come see me and get caught up.

Let me know if you need help.

English III and I and the Weekend

Not much longer to Spring Break. We'll make it. I promise.

Juniors - You don't have anything that you absolutely need to do this weekend. If you were absent today or yesterday, you'll need to make up the Act I quiz on Monday, after-school. If you were absent today or didn't turn it in today, make sure that you get it in on Monday. This weekend you do not have any reading that you need to do. If you would like to read ahead in The Crucible, go for it. This will save you from reading homework down the line. Remember, however, that reading quizzes can happen, make sure you know the assigned reading for the next day's discussion.

Freshmen - Some of you have monologues to perform next week. I have seen some people who have not yet even read their play - this is a problem. Some people have brought me their paragraphs for their monologues. Please continue to do so. Also, remember that you can bring drafts of other parts of your project as well. You have an in-class presentation on Tuesday and Wednesday - be prepared for that. Most of you have used your class time really well to prepare. Finally, I have reviewed Benchmark data with all of you and told most of you areas to work on before the EOC - during upcoming study halls I will be offering help sessions on particular areas. You should make an effort to attend these sessions OFTEN!

I am now going to play a few rounds of Call of Duty before I have to do laundry. Enjoy the weekend.

Freshmen!

Please come and see me about your projects! If you want to go over a draft with me before the due date - please do it! Remember that our final due date is 3/30 and 3/31 for the whole project, but some of you have speeches and paragraphs due in just a few days!

Be ready!

English I - Project (Shakespeare/Drama), Notes

Students -

Every night over the next few weeks you should be reading your plays. I expect that you will be done with your plays in approximately three weeks. You should read in your play for about an hour a night.

If while you're reading, you feel as though you don't understand - please come and ask for help. Use sticky notes to mark places in the text that you have questions about.

If you need help on any of the other parts of the project, please ask for my help. This is what you should be working on for the next six weeks.

While we're studying Shakespeare it's important that you not miss class! If you miss class, you should meet me after school, during study hall, or during lunch to review reading and go over notes. Remember that when you're absent, you're missing discussion and that's how we review things in class.

Keep bringing your plays with you to class. We will read in class from time to time. This may count as a homework grade...you never know.

Homework for English I - 2/10

All students in English I should begin reading their supplemental plays. I would recommend that you all find the speech that you are interested in performing to the class. If you need me to get you a copy of the play, you need to let me know in writing so that I won't forget.

See me if you have any questions.